Press release -
The Völund Ornament Reborn: A Historic Artifact Meets Digital Innovation
Lund, Sweden – June 4, 2025
On June 4, during the “Unexpected” event in Lund, a remarkable collaboration will unveil a groundbreaking fusion of archaeology, advanced manufacturing, and digital technology: the launch of the Völund Ornament and its 200 3D printed replicas, each embedded with a Digital Product Passport (DPP) from whatt.io.
This project marks the first time in history that a Viking-era artifact has been digitally enhanced and distributed using NFC-enabled DPP technology — offering not just a physical replica, but a permanent and traceable digital link to its historical context.
The original ornament, dating back to the Viking Age, was 3D scanned by researchers at Lund University, and digitally reconstructed in high detail by whatt.io. The result was a solid CAD model prepared for additive manufacturing. The 200 replicas were then produced in a gold-like PLA filament at Lostboyslab, a 3D print farm focused on sustainable, circular production.
Each replica contains a built-in NFC tag from whatt.io and is connected to a cloud-hosted Digital Product Passport, providing rich historical information, metadata, production history, and traceability — accessible with a simple tap of a smartphone.
“This project bridges centuries,” says Stefan Larsson, founder of whatt.io. “We’re giving ancient artifacts a digital voice — combining heritage and innovation to make history interactive and accessible.”
Introducing Dolores – AI-Powered Interaction with the Past
As part of the event, whatt.io will also debut Dolores, an AI-powered agent built on the ChatGPT API and seamlessly integrated with the whatt.io ecosystem.
Dolores is designed to interact with users in natural language — by voice or chat — to answer questions, explain DPPs, and contextualize physical objects like the Völund Ornament. Whether accessed through a web interface or embedded in smart hardware, Dolores offers a conversational layer to product data, sustainability history, and cultural storytelling.
Visitors to the event will be among the first to experience interactive DPP communication through Dolores, showcasing the future of human–machine dialogue applied to heritage, transparency, and traceable manufacturing.
This initiative was made possible through a unique partnership between whatt.io, University of Lund, Future by Lund, and Lostboyslab. The DPP platform, normally used for product lifecycle tracking in modern manufacturing, now serves as a powerful tool for educational storytelling and cultural preservation.
The replicas will be handed out during the event, each a symbol of the intersection between tradition and technology — and each carrying the story of Völund, not only in physical form, but in digital eternity.
Whatt.io, Future by Lund and Lostboyslab are part of the MCRS project, which is funded by Vinnova, Formas, Energimyndigheten, and the Net-Zero Industry Initiative.
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At whatt.io our mission is to revolutionize the way products are re-used, repaired, refurbished, and recycled. Through our innovative cloud-based platform, we provide instant access to product information, secure authentication, and seamless spare parts ordering.
With a strong commitment to sustainability and circular economy principles, we enable businesses and consumers to make informed decisions, reduce waste, and contribute to a cleaner environment.
By leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as cloud computing, blockchain, AI, and additive manufacturing, we create a secure and transparent ecosystem that protects intellectual property and ensures data integrity.
Our mission is to empower individuals, foster a circular economy, and build a sustainable future where waste is eliminated, plastic pollution is eradicated, and the full potential of products is realized.
